Nudge's BS
by Tinkerbug96
Summary: What if Nudge had stayed with the group to do that survival test? My telling of what I would want to happen! Oneshot! Slightly angsty I suppose, if you use a microscope. Rated T because I'm paranoid. Niggy! Because they rock!


**Summary: What if Nudge had stayed with the group to do that survival test? My telling of what I would want to happen. Niggy! Because they rock!  
**

**Okay, so _BEFORE YOU READ THE STORY _I do realize that this test thingy is out of place, I just took the part when the Flock had to sneak past the guard guys and morphed it into something a little different. So, basically, it is pretty much out of whack with the actual events of the BSSTC (or the BS) test in MAX, but still, if anyone has read the book, they should know at least that it is the BSSTC, or something like it. _The course where this story mostly revolves around is NOT in the book! _Characters may be a little (or a lot) OOC.  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

**Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing except the obstacle course, John, and Roger.**

I ran through the test, barely breaking a sweat. _This is easy _I thought, jumping over a fallen log. I continued to run around in the forest jumping over various objects and ducking under some too for about an hour, finally beginning to feel tired and starting to hurt. After I snuck past the two men stalking a clearing, looking for me, or anyone else of the flock to catch us, I ran to the end and pushed through the long tree limbs and leaves and burst through to the next clearing…where the rest of the flock stood, waiting.

"Nudge! I thought they had found you, you sure took a while to get through." Max exclaimed. I blushed, "Nah, I just took my time…" Max frowned.

After a brief discussion between the flock and the four men, we were dismissed to our rooms. "I can't believe you managed to clear the guard's brains to get through!" The Gasman exclaimed, flinging his arms around and gaping at Angel. She smiled "That was awesome!" He exclaimed once more. Angel just smirked and kept on trotting beside Iggy. I was walking behind everyone, hurting everywhere and dying for a chance to lie down. Finally, we made it to the hut we stayed in and I squealed, running, despite my aching body, to the door and rammed into it, opening it immediately. I bolted to a bed and jumped into the air, twisting so my stomach faced the floor in mid-air and landed on the bed roughly. I sighed and laid there not moving. I heard Angel giggle and I turned my head to face her, she was hugging the little bear, Celeste, to her side and laughing hard. I even saw Gazzy start to snicker, but when he caught me looking at him he closed his mouth and continued walking.

"What?" I asked, Angel smiled at me angelically, "Hurting much?" she asked walking over and sitting on my back. "A little bit…" I sighed, ashamed to admit it. I then heard Iggy's voice begin to chuckle. "Oh my God! Will you all stop laughing at me?" I exclaimed, irritated

Iggy laughed harder, though I could tell he was trying to conceal it. I grunted and turned my head again, about to close my eyes when Angel started jumping on me. "What?" I asked groggily, cringing when she landed roughly on me.

"Nothing," Angel replied with a shrug of her shoulders. I rolled my eyes then sighed of relief when Angel got up. Sadly though, my sigh of relief quickly turned to a gasp of pain when I felt Iggy fall on me and start bouncing! "Iggy…stop…bouncing…on…me!!" I shouted between his bounces.

I heard his laughing right beside my ear and he stopped bouncing. "Hey Nudge!" Iggy greeted, he said it as if we had passed on a sidewalk in a town. "Iggy, get off of me!" I demanded, trying to wriggle out from under him. He realized that too late I suppose because his sightless eyes widened as I got out from under him and flipped him around, pinning his arms down beside the pillow, and my legs on either side of his hips.

"Who's on bottom now?" I exclaimed, grinning widely at my glory. Then, all of a sudden I was back under him; he was on top of me exactly as I had been. He was inches away from my face, I could smell his sweet, warm breath, it smelled oddly like cookies.

"You." He replied coolly, he was grinning cockily, I had forgotten how strong he was, and how annoying that smile was. I gulped silently, suddenly aware of how close we were. "Ughh, get off of me!" I groaned, pushing against his chest which was almost touching mine.

I saw Iggy's pale blue eyes widen and he jerked back, rolling off of me and standing straight up, his cheeks were turning a faint red. I wonder if it was because he realized that we were so close and he got weirded out, maybe my breath smelled bad! As a precaution I cupped my hand in front of my mouth and nose and breathed. Nope, my breath smelled like toothpaste.

I sat up and sighed, "Am I allowed to lay down, or should I get someone's consent first?" I asked to lighten the tension. Iggy grinned, it must have worked. "Yep!" He answered shortly, grinning once more. "Okay then, Iggy can I like, I dunno, lay down for a while and maybe take a nap because I'm really, _really _tired and I hurt?!" Iggy opened his mouth to answer when that one kid came in and told us we needed to report to the main building for some drills…_immediately._ That meant no nap for me. Iggy rolled his eyes. "Nope, sorry." He sighed, "I really am." He whispered as I got up with a whimper. My legs hurt like crap and my arms were bruised badly.

"Its okay." I replied quietly, walking over to him and the rest of the flock. "Want me to carry you?" His voice had a hidden laugh in it that made him sound like he was joking, but I knew he was really offering to carry me.

"That would be nice." I muttered, grateful for the offer, I saw Iggy smile in my direction, as if loving that I could tell the offer was real. He then turned, his back to me, and for a second I frowned, thinking that he really was just joking. Instead, he bent down, "Get on my back." Iggy said humor apparent in his smooth voice. I smiled and stepped up to his back, then jumped onto him. He laughed and stood up, I suddenly felt really tall. "Did you know that you are really tall?" I asked him, looking down at the ground.

"Only just." Iggy answered laughing once more. He wrapped his hands around my arms, even as I held onto his neck with as much strength as I could muster. I loved the feeling of his skin against my own. I sighed; happy to not be standing, plus, Iggy's back was strangely comfortable. As I wondered why, Iggy walked outside, following the group to the main building where I assumed some torture chamber lie in wait for the next pair of six bird kids-which would be us-to enter into its waiting mouth. I glared at the large, circular building. "This is so unfair." I muttered, faintly recalling the saying _Life isn't fair, so get over it._ I almost laughed, but didn't instead I rested my head against Iggy's back as he kept walking. Then something, or someone, invaded my brain space.

_I bet you like where you are! _Angel taunted.

_Hey! Angel, he just offered to take me. I'm really sore and stuff, so shut your face! _I glared at her little round face, wishing she couldn't hear people's thoughts.

_Oh come on! You know you like him! _Angel pressured once more.

"Nu-uh!" I spoke aloud, hoping Angel would drop it. She didn't, "Yeah-huh!"

I felt my face flush in embarrassment and anger and I quickly retorted stupidly, "NU-UH!" Angel smirked.

"Suuuure you don't." She grinned staring at Iggy, who was looking questioningly in her direction. "What are you guys talking about?" I heard Iggy ask. Angel didn't say anything. _I KNOW you like him Nudge, I'm not stupid. I don't have to read your mind to know how you feel about him._

I gulped, "Please don't tell, Angel." I squeaked, forgetting that I should have said that in my head. _I won't…Not until I have too._ My eyes widened _What! You won't EVER tell him!! Never EVER!_ I practically screamed internally. Angel cringed while she walked. _You can't keep me from telling him._ She told me, looking in my direction. I was about to say something back but then Iggy stopped. He set me down as gently as possible and my shoulders slumped in dismay. I wished he wouldn't have put me down, ever.

So yeah, it was true, I did like Iggy. I had for a while now, but I tried to not acknowledge it. Unfortunately I couldn't, and unfortunately, Angel had figured it out. I sighed when we entered the large building. "This sucks really badly." I muttered, following closely to Iggy. Angel giggled and Max grunted in agreement with me. Much to my near happiness, the only thing in the humongous room was a short course. It was less than one hundred feet, pretty short, and the course had three obstacles. Or six I suppose, it had four wooden balance beams you had to cross over –easy, then you had to crawl under some barbed wire and nets on the dirt they had placed on the ground--eew, and then you had to climb over a large, thick, tall wall of wood and that was the end. It looked pretty simple, like the drills people in the army had to do, yet, I started to feel nervous. I suddenly felt overwhelmingly shaky. I hadn't been able to get through the first test without bruising and getting extremely tired, who is to say I wouldn't end up the same way after this. It looked short and easy, but it glared at me from where it waited.

"Oh God." I whispered worriedly. Iggy turned to me.

"What?"

"Um, um, um, nothing!"

"Doesn't sound like nothing, you sound freaked out."

"I'm, I'm fine, just hurting still."

I stared at the course and explained, in detail, to Iggy what was to be done. He snorted softly, "That's easy." He muttered coolly. I began to shake. "Yeah, that's really easy." I agreed, hiding the nervousness in my voice. Apparently I didn't do all too well because Iggy turned to me, concern apparent in his pale, ice-blue eyes. I drowned in them momentarily before snapping out of it as the people began to speak. They explained shortly to us what we were to do, and most of the flock just rolled their eyes and snorted. Max made a snide comment on how easy that was; the people said nothing and continued to give their explanation. Max went first, she went through it flawlessly. Gracefully leaping over the beams, crawling swiftly through the dirt under the nets, and she climbed strongly over the wall.

I stared in amazement, so did the one of the men who were keeping times on her. "Fifteen seconds! That is a record for anyone here! Can you believe it, John?" One exclaimed in a thick British accent he must have been new-ish because John just marked the time and muttered a sarcastic 'that's great, Roger' before calling up Fang to do it next. Fang, like Max, went through the course with ease, making no mistakes. "Fifteen-point-one seconds." John called. Then Iggy went, Roger stared at him as he realized Iggy was blind, but before he could protest, John started the stop watch and Iggy ran through the course. Despite his blindness, Iggy went through the course swiftly. "Fourteen- point-eight seconds." John called blandly, as though he was bored. Iggy grinned cockily in Max and Fang's direction, his face beamed an 'I did better than you and I'm blind' kind of thing. Max scowled and Fang just kept looking ahead. Then John called on me.

"What?" I stuttered stupidly, I stared at them. "Um, can I do it last?" I asked. John shook his head, still staring down at his clipboard. _Wow, he is incredibly boring, _I thought angrily. I stepped up to the course, and stared at it. It suddenly looked much longer than I thought it was. I gulped, and started forward, frightened, as John started his stopwatch. I climbed over the beams clumsily, tripping at one point, and dropped down to the dirt, I crawled through the tunnel like thing, accidentally clipping myself several times with the barbed wire. I cringed when it caught my shirt and pulled me back down to the dirt. I grunted and pulled it away as I jumped up and ran to the wall. I grabbed the top of it and pulled upward; I fell back, then jammed my shoe between a gap in the boards and pushed myself upward. I made it over, but just barely, and fell down to the ground, back first, thank God. I didn't really want to taste dirt.

I sat up and walked back over to the Flock, most of them stared in shock at me. I blushed, and walked over to a bench in the back, barely hearing John say "Thirty-point-two seconds." I pulled my knees to my chest and rested my chin on my arms. I watched in dismay as Gazzy went through the course, a bit sloppier than the others, then as Angel went through it as if she had done it a million and a half times. They both had seventeen seconds. I groaned and hid my face, for once thankful for my curly hair. Then, subconsciously, I started to twiddle one of my bouncy curls on my pointer finger. I looked at the dim light where my sneakers were parted slightly and stared at the aglets on my shoe laces.

I was lost in my own world, I was thinking about coming back tonight and working my way through the course so I could work on my skills and try to get a better score, when all of a sudden I felt someone sit down beside me. Whoever it was was sitting really, _really_ close to me. They started playing with my hair too, I looked up, expecting Max or Angel but instead I saw the pale blue eyed, pale strawberry-blonde haired beauty. "Iggy?" I asked, trying to keep the adoration out of my voice. It didn't work out too well, but I guess it worked well enough for him not to notice I suppose.

"Hmm?" He asked, staring in my direction. I was a little creepy how on base he was when he looked in a specific direction to talk to someone.

"What are you doing?" I asked him wearily, I was embarrassed enough as it was. He wasn't helping any by brushing his long fingers accidentally against my cheek as he played with my hair. I gulped silently.

"Nothing," he dropped my hair and stared forward, "The flock already left, but I realized you were still here. So I came back to ask you what's wrong." He stared at me a long time, egging me on to tell him.

I stared right back at him, wishing he could see me. "Nothing is wrong, why would there be?" I asked warily, he frowned knowingly. "Because you took thirty seconds to get through that, and I heard you come over here . . . I could have sworn I heard you crying, sniffing at least." He stared at me in such a caring way that my heart melted, and for a moment I _almost _cracked and started crying in front of him. How lame would that have been? Really, _really _lame! I leaned forward for a moment, and then pulled back before he could realize that I had and sighed.

"I suppose I need to work on my skills again huh? Maybe you should coach me." I teased him, half serious half joking. He laughed, going along with the joke, "Yeah, maybe I should," he chuckled again then turned to me seriously once more. "You sure you're okay?" he asked me.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I swear it!"

"You're positive?"

"Yeah, Ig, I'm positive." I smiled slightly and looked at him, he sighed in relief and his eyes turned joking again, but I could still see the spark of concern for me in the depths of his pale eyes. "Well then, let's go, you want me to carry you again?" He asked me sincerely, that joking tone in his voice not as apparent as it had been the first time he asked. It made me wonder if he did like me, he was always concerned for me and was always making sure I was okay… There was a possibi-- No, Iggy like Ella. Or at least I think he did. But it was kind of obvious he was at _least_ interested in her.

I was really embarrassed as it was and shouldn't have said yes . . . but of course, I did. I couldn't pass up an opportunity like that! I expected him to turn around again, but instead, he grabbed me and tossed me over his shoulder. "Hey!" I shouted, "This isn't…" I stopped talking; actually, it was quite comfortable. How could that be?! He was pure muscle, _muscle _people! Muscle wasn't soft or comfortable, it was hard! But oddly enough, his shoulder, despite how buff he was, was terribly comfortable. "It isn't what?" He asked me, mockingly almost.

I frowned, "Never mind."

"Uh huh." He said, then, to my surprise, he dropped me into his arms. I blinked; I was lying in Iggy's arms. _Me,_ it was ridiculously wonderful. The only thing that dampened that wonderful time was that he held me away from his body slightly, still carrying me with ease though. I frowned, for once happy he couldn't see me.

"What are you thinking about?"

"What"

"You're being quiet."

". . . I am not!"

"Yeah . . . You are."

"….Nuh-uh!"

"Yeah, you kind of are. You can tell me." Iggy smiled angelically.

"Nope," I started simply, "I cannot." Iggy looked jokingly dismayed.

"Darn." laughed Iggy. I laughed too, happy to share a remotely peaceful time with him.

"This is nice." Sighed Iggy contentedly.

"What?"

"This."

". . . This what?"

Iggy laughed. "This! Being able to not _always _be on the lookout for erasers and M-geeks and fly boys, stuff like that. Being able to get to laugh with you again to be--" Iggy cut off mid-sentence, looking embarrassed with his cheeks turning faint pink. I laughed, breaking his one-sided tension.

"Me too." I breathed. Iggy smiled happily, and then set me down. I was disoriented for a moment, _He set me down_. Why did he do that? That was when I realized that we were at our cabin place.

I blinked. "How did you know we were here?"

"I heard them talking."

"Oh . . . I feel stupid."

Iggy laughed and ruffled my hair. _That' what big brothers do,_ I noted.

"You should." Iggy let me simmer for a moment before speaking up again.

"Just kidding."

I released my breath. "You're so mean!" Iggy looked mock offended.

"Jeez! It appears that _you_ are the mean one!" He joked, laughing, smiling widely at me. My breath caught in my throat, and for a second I couldn't breathe. I almost choked too, but I quickly took a deep breath and punched him lightly on his arm. He grinned at me then he yawned.

"Jeez, I'm freaking tired." He mumbled, turning to open the door. I'm still not sure how he knew where it was. I looked out into the horizon and I was surprised to see the sun wasn't visible, and the waning crescent moon had risen already.

I shook my head in surprise and followed Iggy inside, unhappy that I would be leaving again soon, without even having a nap. _This just sucks. _I thought bitterly, making myself a cup of coffee discreetly, and sipping it as fast as I could, then making another one. I had several cups of coffee before someone came looking for me. It was Gazzy.

"Come on, we have to go to bed. This camp thing's rules are retarded. We have to be in bed with the lights out at 10 o-clock. How stupid is that?" Gazzy rambled, stomping out of the tiny kitchen. I laughed silently and swiftly pulled on some pajamas. I then crawled into bed and lay down, waiting to hear the snores of the flock.

It took about an hour and a half before I heard the snores of Max and Gazzy and the even breathing of all the others… I believe Iggy had fallen asleep last. But why should that matter? Iggy usually didn't fall asleep early anyway. _It matters because you love him, my _subconscious said. _Yeah, yeah, yeah. _I thought. I crawled out of bed silently, and then mentally smacked myself. My bed was right beside a window small enough where it was under the top bunk, but big enough for my own tiny body to fit through. I scurried back into my bed, hoping it wouldn't creak. It didn't. After that, I reached for the bottom of the window, I knew it wouldn't make a sound since I had opened it the first time I saw it. I had called that bed immediately after. I smiled, and then stopped. I sat stark still. Wind blew in through the window and the person above me, Iggy, moved. I waited for a few seconds. When I heard Iggy's soft breathing, I breathed out silently myself and then I proceeded to sneak out the window. I stuck my right leg out first, then my left. After that I got out to my hips and dropped onto the ground. I couldn't close the window from outside, but I would live. I then tiptoed down the sidewalk leading to the huge building where the test had been.

When I finally got there, John was standing right in the doorway, about to lock it up when I snuck up behind him.

"Um, excuse me," I was cut off when John jumped and shouted profanities into the wind, which, thankfully, carried them _away _from the cabin.

"Yes, Nudge?" John asked, eyeing me warily, as if I were a criminal.

"Um, can I, you know, get in there?" I asked him nervously, clenching my hands together and staring at my bright white footie socks.

"Why?"

"Because I want to try and work on getting through that course, and try to get a better time in the morning or something!" I exclaimed, my heart was racing and I didn't know why. John stared at me for a long while. I knew he was contemplating it. Finally he sighed.

"Sure, Nudge. But please, don't mess anything up." He looked at me with more emotion than I had thought he was capable of. He paused for a moment then added, "You might want to get some rest when you feel you are ready to re-do it. Exhaustion, no matter how good you get, can bring you down even more than you might think." I nodded gratefully.

"Thank you soooo much!" I exclaimed, hugging him on impulse. He stiffened then hugged me back, but for only a second. He walked past me and muttered "Good luck," before turning left and going to his house.

I breathed in deep and then entered the room. It was dark; I reached out for a light switch and found one. The lights came on so bright they blinded me momentarily. In the middle of the room I saw the course. My heart skipped a beat or two and then started up again, beating even faster than before.

"At this rate I will die before the night is over!" I muttered, stepping cautiously over to it. I felt like an idiot, approaching the course like it was some kind of avian-hybrid eater. I positioned myself in front of the beams.

After that I kind of zoned out. The first time I went through it, it was much the same as before. I went through it several more times before I mastered the beams, jumping over them gracefully, and peeling off about five seconds. I grinned triumphantly and stared at the clock on the wall. 12:30, _What? That late already! It can't be! I must have taken longer to get through the beams than I thought…_ I gaped at the clock for a while before starting over. Like I said before, I kind of zoned out. It took me, wait for it, an hour or two before I mastered the tunnel thing with the barbed wire (I took off another 15 seconds, give or take). So it was about three in the morning and my socks and pajamas were filthy with dirt. I frowned, glad that my jammys weren't _actually_ my jammys. They were the military's jammys and they were a really generic, really ugly khaki color. Finally, I turned to the wall and stared upward at it. It seemed miles high even though it was only a few feet taller than me. I tried to get over it over and over again. In fact, I tried so much that I gave up on the other two obstacles and focused solely on the wall. Finally, though, I mastered it. I then ran through the course over and over and over until I was out of breath and was about to pass out from exhaustion. I was happy though, I made it through the course flawlessly and without mistake every time. Finally, I looked at the clock, 4:25 a.m. I groaned and then looked at the door and, other than seeing the sky faintly brightening, I finally noticed the little yellow pile of cloth. I walked over to it and bent down, grabbing the note and the keys that rested on top of it. I began to read the letter:

_Nudge,_

_I'm sorry about earlier today; I know it must have been embarrassing for you to have taken so long on the course than the rest of your flock did. I had a daughter your age; she is all grown up now though. You are welcome to keep her pajamas if you wish, I figured you would like to go to bed in clean, nice looking, pajamas. I will time you whenever you wish tomorrow. _

_Sincerely,_

_John_

_P.S. The keys are to lock up the room. Put them under my rug outside my house. It's the first one on the left._

I stared at the note for a while. "Wow." I whispered. I looked at the keys, I couldn't believe he trusted me so much and he didn't even know me. It was surprising, oh yes, but I shrugged it off. I needed to get to the cabin and get some sleep. I immediately yanked off my dirty pajamas and lifted the pajamas John let me have. They were silk, and they felt wonderful under my fingertips. I sighed, and put them on, they fit perfectly. I grinned happily and then I noticed the small pair of socks on the floor. They were just as bright white as mine had been. I pulled off my filthy ones and stuffed the warm clean ones on. I then turned to the course and skipped over to it.

Foolishly, I stuck my tongue out at it and placed my hands on my hips.

"Ha-ha! I mastered you!" I gloated, not realizing that the door behind me had opened and closed and someone had entered inside the building.

"What are you doing?"

I gasped at the familiar voice, and whirled around. I was so embarrassed that I couldn't speak. Finally, though, I found my voice.

"Wh- What are y-you doing here?" Well, I kind of found my voice. He heard me talk to the course like a crazy person.

"I woke up fifteen minutes ago because I had to pee and noticed you were gone because I couldn't hear you sleep and air was blowing through the open window. I figured you would be here because of your bizarre reaction yesterday." Iggy eyed me warily with unseeing eyes. I gulped.

"But, how did you find your way here." I already knew how, but I was trying to buy time.

"You know how. I remembered the route from the cabin to here." Iggy replied.

_Darn._ I thought. I wasn't buying time as well as I had hoped. Finally, I decided to just be out right with him.

But first I sighed.

"Okay, look. You're right. Yesterday I was incredibly embarrassed because it took me thirty seconds to get through that stupid course! So I decided that I wanted to get a better score, and to do that, I needed to practice getting through the course quickly!" I could feel the tears beginning to come. "So I have been working my butt off all night just because I was so embarrassed to have done that badly in front of you!" _Uh-oh._ I gulped. Did I just reveal to him that I liked him? Surely not, surely it was just my imagination.

"What do you mean in front of me?" Iggy asked, there was a slight mysterious tone in his voice.

Nope, it was definitely _not_ my imagination. My heart started racing and my face was feeling incredibly hot. "What?" I asked, trying to deter him from his thoughts. It didn't work.

"You said, 'I was so embarrassed to have done that badly in front of you'" Iggy said, knowingly almost. Iggy took a few steps closer and reached out towards me. I jerked back.

"What are you doing?!" I exclaimed, my face was burning and I was becoming even more humiliated by the second.

"Stand still!" Iggy told me, a smirk was working its way onto his face. As if I were his puppet I stood stark still and let Iggy reach out to me. He touched my face with his finger tips. "You're blushing," He murmured, a smirk in full blast now. My breathing accelerated as his hand cupped my face, and then his other hand. "You're face is really warm and really red. You must be _really _embarrassed!" Iggy stated. His smirk grew wider. He was standing a little too close for comfort at the moment. Any other time would have been fine, but I had a feeling that he had a feeling that he was on to something.

"What are you doing?" I asked again, trying to pull away from his grip. He dropped his hands from my face and immediately grabbed my hands so I couldn't run.

Iggy was nearly laughing now. I was starting to panic. I tugged away from his hands, but he just gripped me harder, but not hard enough to hurt me.

"You like me." Iggy said, I almost gasped but replaced it with a slight laugh.

"Of course I do, you're, like, my brother." I lied, trying to make him think I liked him as a brother only. He shook his head.

"No, you _like _me. Angel told me so." He said, becoming completely serious now.

"She lied!" I exclaimed, panicking now.

"No, Nudge. Admit it, you like me. You like me a lot. You even admitted it yourself. No matter how in-direct it was." He muttered. He sounded matter-of-factly, but there was a pleading tone in his voice too. It must have been me. "You said, 'I was so embarrassed to have done that badly in front of you.'"

I took a shaky deep breath and pulled myself away from Iggy, only to be wrapped up in his arms. He must have realized I was crying. He hugged me briefly before pulling away and wiping the tears off of my face. "Why are you crying?" He asked me.

"Iggy…" I couldn't find any words to speak. I was frustrated and tired from the obstacle course and I was upset that Angel told him that I like him.

"What?" He asked me calmly. He was staring less than an inch away from my eyes, but I didn't really care. He was still looking at me with a concerned expression on his face.

I took another deep breath. "When did Angel lie to you about… me?" I asked him. He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"Um, she told me, in my thoughts that is, that you liked me when you guys were arguing on the way here and again after I said she was lying on our way back to the cabin. Then I decided I would come back to find you after you never came back with us. Nudge, I know she wasn't lying. She was very persistent about it, and now that I think about it, it _is_ a little obvious that you like me. At least only to me and Angel, the rest are clueless." He said matter-of-factly. I sighed, why did he have to be so on base sometimes. _Ugh! I hate Angel… hate her!_ I thought angrily, not realizing that I sighed, and that tears were running down my face at a greater speed, but still slowly. "Nudge," Iggy whispered "You can tell me, I won't mind. You can tell me anything, you know that." He said reassuringly. I looked at his face and sniffled a little bit. I was quiet for a few minutes. I opened my mouth just as he was about to turn around.

"Iggy, I can't tell you anything." I whispered so quietly I wasn't sure if he had heard it. He frowned, and looked downward in dismay. "I'm so sorry, Iggy. But there are things I'm not sure I could share with you."

Iggy stayed silent for a while, and in his quiet state I suddenly had a thought pop into my head. "Why do you want to know so badly?" I asked him. He immediately looked up in surprise. I grinned, thinking I had him. I didn't. He recovered faster than I had hoped and responded quickly.

"Because I'm the I-want-to-know- if-it-is-true-or-not kinda guy, and you know that better than anyone else." Shoot, he was right. I probably knew Iggy better than The Gasman did, and that is saying something mind you.

I sighed for the umpteenth time that night and stared him straight in the eyes. "Okay, you got me." I said, my voice broke in the middle of the sentence and my cheeks were wet from the tears that had been streaming slowly down my face for the last, what was it, five minutes.

"Nudge? What's wrong?" Iggy asked me so compassionately that my eyes filled up with more tears so I couldn't see worth crap. I closed my eyes and the tears spilled over and ran down my cheeks faster now, like a freaking waterfall.

"Why is this so hard?" I asked, mainly to myself.

"I don't know. You tell me." Iggy responded.

"I was talking to my-"

"I know, but I answered anyway."

"… You irritate me a little."

"I know. But it's only a little, so I can live with myself." Iggy grinned, and I have to say, for a moment I almost did too. My eyelids started drooping and I shook my head swiftly, my curly hair moving with me.

"Iggy, I'm really tired, can I go to bed now?" Iggy sighed, he was disappointed, I could tell.

"No, not until you tell me what is wrong with you."

"But, Iggy! I'm tired and I'm falling asleep right where I freaking stand!" It was true too; I almost fell asleep before I was able to utter the first word of that sentence. Iggy smiled, and then frowned. He was so bi-polar sometimes. I sniffled again. He looked so cute when he frowned, and he was even cuter when he smiled.

"Okay," I started, "You want to know what's wrong with me?" I asked Iggy nodded. I couldn't believe I was about to do this, but there was no turning back now. Not without Iggy hating me forever.

"Iggy, I'm upset because Angel told you that I liked you. She said she wouldn't, and she did anyway. That is basic betrayal!" I exclaimed, tears running down my face some more. "And you know what, Iggy?" I paused, "She was correct. I do like you. A lot. And I have tried so _so _hard to keep Angel from knowing it and she still figured it out. But don't be fooled! I _am_ still embarrassed silly that I did so awfully on the course and you were in the same room at the same moment! But I am more embarrassed at the fact that I am telling you this right now when you already knew!! Why did you have to come here? Why did you have to ask me this if you already knew?! You would have saved me _a lot_ of embarrassment…" I paused. "Now can I go to bed before I think about what I just said and commit suicide!?!" I was trying to get some air since I had used it all up crying and nearly shouting. Iggy did nothing. He just grabbed my hands again when he heard me begin to try to get out the door _behind_ him.

_Oh great. I'm never gonna get out of here. Not unless Iggy gets-_ I was cut out of my thoughts when Iggy started speaking, and I realized he was less than 5 inches away from my face. "That's all?" Iggy asked me. "Is that all you wanted to say?" I was so entranced in his gorgeous blue eyes that I didn't notice when I answered his question.

"No."

"Then what else were you going to say?"

"I want to know if you like me back…" I suddenly realized what I had asked and pulled back in surprise.

"Iggy?!" I screamed. "What the heck!?" My face was burning hot and warm fat tears squeezed out of the corner of my eyes.

Iggy took a step toward me, holding my hands firmly so I couldn't break out of his grasp. "I knew you were hiding something. So I decided to try the trick I have heard about so much in romance movies and stuff like that." I stopped struggling against Iggy's hold.

"Which would be…?"

"You know, where the guy moves close to his crush and uses his eyes to coax her into saying something that she is holding in." Iggy said, grinning. A few more tears slipped down my face. I was surprised I even still had tears left to shed.

"Only, I'm not your crush, I'm your little un-biological sister." I muttered, crying harder at having admitted it.

"I suppose," Iggy started, I bawled my eyes out silently when he said it, "and while I'm talking about this, I'm gonna go ahead and answer your question." I was too weak now to fight him back. My exhaustion was taking over and my head was pounding painfully, and a headache was throbbing against my temples after crying so hard.

"I'd rather you didn't." I whimpered, my shoulders slumping and my head hanging down. Next thing I know, I'm pressed right against Iggy's body and he is whispering in my ear.

"I don't like you," he started; I sobbed harder than ever in agony. My knees gave out, and my fingers let loose of Iggy's navy blue t-shirt and I cried into his shirt. He was no longer holding my hands but his arms were wrapped around me, holding me up since I couldn't support my own weight. _How sad_ I thought. He rubbed my back soothingly as he continued.

"I don't like you" he repeated, my thoughts were racing. _Why? _I asked myself.

"I love you." He stated, I stopped crying, stopped breathing, stopped everything. _He… loves me?_

"And you aren't my crush," my heart started up again, and the hot tears continued to pour down my face. _Of course I'm not._

"You are the love of my life." Again, everything in me stopped for a split second, and then started racing like a hare, my heart especially.

"Nudge, I love you, because you are the love of my life, my soul mate" My eyes widened, _Oh my God!_

"Did you really just say that?" I asked him warily, still buried in his shirt.

"Yeah." He murmured. Iggy put a hand under my chin and lifted my face up, his other arm still supporting my dead weight. He looked me straight in my eyes, or he was faced _directly_ at them. "Nudge, I can't believe you would think I didn't love you. I love you more than you will ever know." He whispered.

"Really?" I asked him, hoping this wasn't some kind of a sick joke.

Without saying a word, Iggy answered my question. He moved his face down to my own and gently brushed his lips against mine. I suppose he knew I would be too shocked and happy to breath because he pulled away and whispered "Breath, Nudge." I smiled slightly and nodded. Iggy wiped my face with his fingers and then tenderly met my lips again. This time, I responded. Hesitantly, I pressed my lips against his and kissed him back. Iggy's eyes were closed and I felt weird watching him so I closed my eyes too. Our kiss deepened and I felt him begin to move my arms around his neck, I then took charge and continued to wrap my arms around his neck. He was still holding my weight and I started to move my legs so I would stand again; instead, he pressed me closer to his body so I couldn't move. We were like that for several minutes before our bird lungs ran out of air.

I gasped quietly for air and found that my head was resting against Iggy's chest and my eyelids had fallen. But before I could open them I felt Iggy slip his arms under my knees and lift me up. I grasped Iggy's shirt between my fingers and rested against his chest, listening to his rapid heartbeat. I heard Iggy close the door behind him as he stepped out into the warm air. "I love you, Iggy." I murmured. I sounded slightly drunk, I had no doubt it was from my sleepiness.

"I love you too." I faintly heard him whisper back. He kissed my forehead and then continued to the cabin.

The next thing I know, I feel Iggy place me on my bed in the cabin. "What…?" I asked confused, light was coming in on my right and I was clueless as to what was going on. And then it all snapped into place. I grabbed Iggy's shirt with one hand, and his right forearm with my other. "Where are you…?" I trailed off, too tired to complete my sentence. He grinned at me in the dim light.

"I have to go back and lock up for John." He replied.

I was dismayed. "Please don't leave." I whispered. I desperately didn't want him to leave. His eyebrows knit together and he frowned slightly. He leaned forward and kissed my nose and whispered a reply.

"I'm sorry, Nudge. I have to. I will be back very soon though, I promise. You can even look out the window at me if you want." He smiled slightly, and kissed my forehead. I sighed quietly and he exited the room. I closed my eyes, waiting for sleep to take over again, but it didn't. I frowned and opened my eyes again, I couldn't sleep without Iggy. I turned on my side, and stared out the window. I saw Iggy enter the building with the course, and I waited for a few minutes before he came out. He was carrying my dirty clothes and the keys. I enjoy my raptor vision. I smiled and then studied Iggy. He dumped the dirty clothes into a trash can beside the doors. Then he turned and reentered the building. The lights disappeared and Iggy once again stepped out and turned around to face the building. He moved his hand forward and felt around and then locked the doors. I saw him turn opposite the cabin and head over toward John's house. I saw him slip the key under the mat and then turn back around, heading to the cabin. He started off walking slowly, and then picked up the pace until he was jogging. I watched silently as Iggy jogged down the sidewalk, his hair was blowing away from his face so his brilliant pale blue eyes shone in the sunrise's light. Then he disappeared from my view. I turned back around on my bed.

Iggy entered the cabin and immediately walked over to my bed. He smiled widely at me and whispered my name. I smiled and whispered "Hi." He leaned down and kissed me gently and then moved and reached up for his bed, and without thinking I blurted out "Iggy?" He stopped and looked down at me with unseeing eyes.

"Yeah?" He asked, staring at me concernedly. I blushed and shook my head, a completely wasted gesture.

"Never mind." I responded. He gave and airy laugh and then slipped up onto his bed. I lay on my back for a few minutes, and then rolled onto my stomach. I closed my eyes, hoping I would fall asleep again. I didn't, I sighed too quietly for even Iggy to hear and opened my eyes. I was so tired and yet, every time I tried to go to sleep I couldn't. Even when my eyelids drooped, I couldn't fall asleep. I yawned and turned onto my side, facing the window. I looked out for a few minutes then decided I would never fall asleep with the light coming in from the window. I turned _back_ around, laying on my left side, and stared at the dimly lit room. There were several arm chairs and a couch and a small television. I sighed, louder than last time, and rolled onto my back. I stared at the bed above me, and listened for Iggy's tell tale sound of even breathing for him to be asleep. I didn't, he was breathing like normal. But I guess I couldn't be sure. I came to a resolution, I couldn't fall asleep without Iggy by my side, so I decided to continue on with the question I had probably asked him twenty minutes ago.

"Iggy," I asked nervously, hoping my voice didn't sound as shaky as I thought it was.

"Yeah," he replied, _so he isn't asleep._ I guess I could still tell when my flock members were asleep. _Duh…_ I frowned.

"Um, I was wondering if you would come… s-sleep down here with…m-me." I had trouble finding my voice. I guess Iggy could tell because he started laughing. Quietly of course. I suppose that meant no. But then, Iggy slipped off of his bed and sat down beside me.

He placed his hand on my face gently and leaned down, kissing my lips tenderly. "Okay." He whispered in our soft kiss. Then I scooted over and he lay down beside me. He wrapped his arms around me gently and pulled me to his body.

"It'll be weird when Max and Fang find out." He kissed my cheek and then whispered "Go to sleep, my dear Nudge." I smiled and snuggled into his chest. I closed my eyes, and felt the tiredness sweep over my weary, aching body, and there in his arms I fell asleep. Happy as I could ever have been.

The End

**Soooo, did you like it? This is the first story I have written and finished, I have like, two Zelink stories and several other Niggy sories I probably won't put on here. Anyway, I was thinking about making a sequel kind of thing... Like how the Flock will react and stuff. It will be set well, like I said everything in this story is out of place in the events of MAX, but it will be set, of course, before they get on the submarine. So yeah. Read and review please! Tell me what you thought, and if I should try and make a sequel. But if no one reviews and tells me to make a sequel, then there will never be a sequel.**


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